Social Capital and Preferences for Aging in Place Among Older Adults Living in Rural Northeast China

The present study examines the association between cognitive social capital and structural social capital and aging-in-place among older adults living in rural Northeastern Chinese communities. Data were derived from a survey conducted in Dongliao County, Jilin Province, China, in late 2019. A quota...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Nan Lu, Shicun Xu, Qinghong Zhou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-07-01
Series:International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/14/5085
Description
Summary:The present study examines the association between cognitive social capital and structural social capital and aging-in-place among older adults living in rural Northeastern Chinese communities. Data were derived from a survey conducted in Dongliao County, Jilin Province, China, in late 2019. A quota sampling approach was used to recruit 458 respondents aged 60 years and older. Structural equation modeling was applied to test the proposed model. The results show that the measurement models of cognitive social capital and structural social capital were established in rural Chinese communities. Structural social capital was found to have a higher effect on aging in place than cognitive social capital (structural social capital: β = 0.241,<i> p </i>< 0.001; cognitive social capital: β = 0.118, <i>p </i>< 0.05). The findings highlight the crucial role both cognitive and structural social capital play in affecting the preference for aging in place among older rural Chinese adults. Policy and intervention implications are discussed.
ISSN:1661-7827
1660-4601